Blogs from Namibia, Africa - page 16

Well we are now at Uis and have travelled about 200 kms over sand and gravel roads which are like corrugated iron. We still have a few teeth left but our vision has gone but that might be the drink! There has been a 6 year drought where we have just come from. Yesterday we were in the middle of nowhere when we were flagged down by a lady who said her little boy was very sick and they needed a lift to Khorixas, where we were going. How can you say no? Anyway, we loaded up mum, dad and little boy and gave them a 37km, teeth rattling drive to Khorixas. I gave them a packet of biscuits to eat on the way. It soon became apparent that there was nothing wrong with the boy ... read more

Last night at dusk we went to the waterhole hide and watched zebra and wildebeeste drinking. Then we had a joint barbecue. Early this morning I was up at 5:30 to the waterhole but there was little activity. Still we did watch the sunrise. Then we had 415km to drive on a long hot straight road to Etosha Safari Park. On the way we saw everyone dressed in their best ready for curch, some carrying chairs so it was obviously going to be a long sermon! Once in the park saw just one elephant and one giraffe before getting to Namutoni Camp. It is built round an old German fort. We had a swim and then saw giraffe in the distance by the waterhole. By the time I got there with a camera they'd vanished! We ... read more

Today was our longest trip of all 415km. So we left around 7:30 topping up with petrol before we hit the road once we had cleared the sand and gravel road. Being sunday everyone was decked in their best for church. Some were even carrying their own chairs so I guess it was going to be a long sermon. At our coffee stop we were surrounded by loads of little children so I gave them all the sweets I could find. As we left they were all fighting over them. We had 2 spots of rain but even though it has been overcast some of the day it doesn't look as if there will be any more today. Still hot 37 at last count so just off to the pool. Now at Roys Rest Camp near ... read more

My turn to do the blog again today, as Rob has been unwell and was unable to come on our planned excursion to Sandwich Harbour. I made the short walk to the B&B on my own and almost jumped out of my skin when an Alsatian launched itself, barking, at a fence right beside me. I was picked up after breakfast by a real character of a guide and the next 8 hours was spent in his company along with a pleasant French family, M. et Mme. Vincent and their four boys. On the way to Walvis Bay our guide told us a lot about the local area, the history and social situation. For example a substantial coastal development between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay was originally built to accommodate uranium miners, but following a disaster the ... read more

Not such a long journey today, mainly on the C14, which was in much better repair than we remember from 2012. We started by a stop for fuel and decent coffee at Solitaire (the one criticism of Namib Desert Lodge is that their coffee is foul). Solitaire is a wonderfully quirky place, characterised by a large number of old car and truck bodies on display like a strange sculpture park. There is rumoured to be a meerkat colony but today it was the ground squirrels causing a stir - they look quite similar but their tails are fluffier and they have a more hunched stance. The C14 between Soliatire and Walvis Bay does not pass through any towns, but the scenery is wonderful. En route we travelled through the Gaus and Kuiseb Passes, both of which ... read more